Eaton fire lawyers at The Wagner Law Group have launched a new hotline for people who suffered property loss due to the Eaton fire, which was likely caused by Southern California Edison (SCE). The hotline, reachable at (833) 200-7111, comes as an attorney working for Edison has refused mediation meetings to resolve over 100 lawsuits filed against the utility company for its alleged role in the fire that killed 19 people and destroyed most of Altadena.
The Wagner Law Group, which is suing SCE on behalf of fire victims, expressed alarm over the utility company's strategy to delay the legal process. "Delaying the legal process like this is very unethical. What they are basically doing is trying to force people who don't have the resources for a lengthy legal battle to accept extremely small settlements and give up their right to pursue further legal action," said Butch Wagner of The Wagner Law Group.
A spokesperson for Southern California Edison responded, "Southern California Edison will not be distracted from its focus of first serving those impacted." However, Eaton fire attorneys at The Wagner Law Group, who have experience suing utility companies for fires caused by improperly maintained infrastructure, criticized SCE's approach. "This particular situation that SCE is creating is unusually brutal, hiding behind a veil of claiming to help people while intentionally doing harm is completely unreasonable," Wagner added.
The lawyers noted a draft circulated by Edison outlining a compensation plan based on square footage and extent of damage. For example, owner-occupants of a destroyed 1,500-square-foot home could collect $900,000 in rebuilding compensation, plus $200,000 for program participation and $100,000 per adult for noneconomic damages. Under the draft, each death would bring $1.5 million for pain and suffering, plus $500,000 for each surviving spouse and eligible dependent, with an additional $5 million premium for using the Edison fund directly. "What Edison is doing is deplorable. They are attempting to pressure people into taking a low-ball settlement and leveraging them by refusing to participate in the legal process any more than they absolutely have to," said Butch.
The Wagner Law Group, known for handling prison sex abuse cases and personal injury matters, is encouraging anyone affected by the Eaton fire to call the SCE Settlement Hotline at (833) 200-7111.
